Part of the Australian Peacock Spider Genus, the very recently discovered Maratus Yanchep spider, may soon be extinguished by human expansion for profit, in a Peet's West Australian housing estate, one of many profiting from West Australia's artificially stimulated rapid population growth, which at 30 June 2023 was growing at 3.29%, with a doubling time of 21 years. So, almost no hope of retaining the region's unique fauna. Source of photo is Jürgen C. Otto 1 and David E. Hill, "Maratus yanchep, a new peacock spider from Western Australia (Araneae: Salticidae: Euophryini: Australphryni), https://peckhamia.com/peckhamia/PECKHAMIA_311.1.pdf
All except one of the peacock spider family is unique to Australia. The exception is one that probably emigrated from Australia to New Zealand. Three other Maratus spiders have been featured as special issue postage stamps. These spiders are especially suited to postage stamp illustration, with an average body length of about 4.5mm.
Peacock spiders each have eight eyes that are equipped with a telephoto lens, tiered retina, and ultraviolet-sensitive photoreceptor. They have reached the physical limit of optical resolution given their size. This special visual system allows them to see the full visible spectrum and in the ultraviolet range.
The following video is of another West Australian peacock spider, maratus speciosus, doing its courtship dance to wildly appropriate music. This truly mind-blowing video and the others to follow are from Jurgen Otto, also known as Peacockspiderman on you tube.
On the same video channel there are videos of other maratus spiders, including one of several different species, all high resolution and breathtakingly beautiful. The following video is of several different maratus (peacock) spiders, to the tune of "Staying Alive," which of course, reflects the grave threat mating carries for male spiders.
Sarah Brookes, "Last dance for striking spider as Perth estate moves into its home"
The quotes below come from Sarah Brookes, "Last dance for striking spider as Perth estate moves into its home," WA Today, March 26, 2025. https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/last-dance-for-striking-spider-as-perth-estate-moves-into-its-home-20250324-p5llyo.html
A population of extraordinary spiders discovered in the coastal dunes north of Alkimos have had their only known habitat fenced off and partially cleared by land developers in preparation for the next stage of a new housing estate.
WA today revealed last year that the only known habitat of the peacock jumping spider species Maratus yanchep was just 20 metres from Peet’s Elavale estate, putting it at high risk of extinction.
However, because the spider, known for its potentially deadly courtship dance, pictured above, was only discovered and described in 2022 it has not been included on state or federal threatened species lists, giving it no legal protection, according to the state government.
Greens Brad Pettitt said it was hard to imagine a more stunning example of the failure of WA’s planning and biodiversity system.
“This rare and stunningly beautiful spider is being made extinct for the ugly monoculture of sprawl,” he said.
“We have a biodiversity protection system unable and unwilling to act and a planning system enabling this destructive development.
“We can only hope the likely extinction of the spider becomes a moment in time when Perth draws a line in the sand, or sand dunes, and says enough is enough – and gets serious about stopping sprawl and replacing it with well-placed infill and density.”
Read more: https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/last-dance-for-striking-spider-as-perth-estate-moves-into-its-home-20250324-p5llyo.html
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